Smoke-consuming apparatus.



1,165,899. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO WASHINOTON D. c.

\ C. A. PHELPS.

SMOKE CONSUMING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3,1914.

1,165,899. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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C. A. PHELPS.

SMOKE cowsumms APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3.19M.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

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CHARLES A. PHELPS, OF DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.

SMOKE-CONSUMING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28,1915.

Applicaton filed December 3, 1914. Serial No. 875,393.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. PHELPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danville, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smoke-Consuming Apparatus, of which the following is a speclfication.

My invention relates to apparatus for effecting the combustion of the particles of carbon contained in smoke, the same being particularly well adapted for use in connection with the boiler of a railway locomotive, but not solely restricted to such use.

An important object of the invention 18 to provide means for producing a gasified fuel which, when introduced into the presence of the smoke, is highly efficient in effecting the combustion'of the particles of carbon contained therein.

A further object of the invention Is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which will superheat the gasified fuel and introduce the same into the fire box of the boiler, in a manner to effectually burn the particles of carbon contained in the smoke. I

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character adapted to be installed upon a railway locomotive and to operate in conjunction with the source of compressed air carried by the locomotive.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figured 1s a sideelevation of apparatus embodying my invention, showing the same applied to a railway locomotive, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus, viewed from the interior of the cab of the locomotive, Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the locomotive boiler, Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view through one of the burners, Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the same, Fig. 6 is an elevation of the rear end of the boiler within the fire box, showing the boiler lines and my burners arranged adjacent the same, Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the fuel mixing apparatus, and, Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal 5601310113.].

view through one flue, with the fuel supply pipe shown in elevation therein.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates the boiler of a railway locomotive, having the usual longitudinally extending fines or tubes 11, as more clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The boiler 10 is provided at its rear end with a fire box 12 and cab 13, as usual.

The numeral 1% designates a tank for holding oil, such as crude oil, although other liquid fuel may be used, the same being suitably mounted within the cab 13, at a point suitably remote from the fire box 12, to prevent heating of the oil. Crude oil or the like is fed into the tank 1st through a feed pipe 15, provided with a cut 0E valve 16 and a funnel 1?, as more clearly shown in Fig. 1.

' Connected with the rear end of the tank 14,

as more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is an oil outlet pipe 18 having a cutof valve 18 connected therein and extending upwardly within the cab and connected with a preferably vertically arranged oil heating shell or chamber 19, preferably at the upper end thereof, as more clearly shown in Fig. 7. This oil heating chamber is arranged ad jacent the rear end 20 of the fire box, so that the oil contained therein will be heated before being mixed with the air, as will be hereinafter described. The oil within the heating shell 19 is preferably heated to a temperature of 212 F., although the same may be widely varied, as desired. As more clearly shown in Fig. 7, the numeral 21 designates an outlet conduit, preferably attached to the upper end of the oil heating shell 19, the same having a reduced bore 22, for the passage of the oil therethrough and an adjustable needle valve 23, cooperating with the bore 22, whereby the supply of oil may be dropped. The outlet conduit 21 is provided with a transverse mixing recess or chamber 2 1, and a glass tube 25 communicates with the lower end of the mixing chamber 2% as shown. This glass tube is connected with a pipe or conduit 26, for a purpose to be described.

The numeral 27 designates an air pressure tank or reservoir, preferably the tank ordinarily embodied in the air brake system. fin air pressure of ninety pounds is ordinarily maintained within this tank, as is well known. Connected with the tank 27 is an air outlet pipe 28, having a branch pipe 29 connected therewith, provided with a cut off valve 30. The branch pipe 29 is connected with and leads into the oil tank 14, for supplying pressure upon the oil therein whereby the same is fed through the pipe 18 into the oil heating shell 19, as above indicated. The air outlet pipe 28 extends into the upper portion of the cab, as more clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and is preferably provided with a cut off valve 31. The upper end of the pipe 28, as more clearly shown in Fig. 7, leads into a steam heating shell or jacket 32, but has no communication therewith, the same being connected with a closed air heating receptacle or coil 33. The lower end of this coil is connected with or continues in a pipe 34, connected with the oil outlet conduit 21 and leading into the mixing chamber 24, as shown. The air within the coil is heated by steam which is circulated through the shell or jacket 32 to approximately 400 E, which is a much higher temperature than that to which the oil is heated within the shell 19. This steam is supplied into the upper end of the shell or jacket 32 through a plpe 35 provided witha out off valve 36, as more clearly shown m Fig. 2. The pipe 35 is connected at 1ts lower end with a pipe 37, having an ad ustable pressure reducing valve 38 connected therewith preferably set to reduce the steam pressure within the pipe 37 to eighty pounds, this steam pressure being ten pounds lower than the pressure of the air employed, whlch is at train line pressure of ninety pounds. The pipe 37 is connected with a steam sup; ply pipe 39, preferably having a cut on valve 40 and connected with the upper portion of the boiler by means of a dome 41, or the like. Steam passes from the shell 32 through an outlet pip-e 42, preferably having a cut off valve 43 connected there n. The outlet pipe 42 is connected with a sultable coupling 44, connected with one arm of a Y- shaped coupling 45. A pressure gage 47 is connected with the coupling 44. The pipe 26 (see Figs. 2 and 7) is connected with the other arm of the (shaped coupling 45, whereby the previously heated and mixed air and gasified oil are brought into direct contact with the steam passing into the Y shaped coupling 45. This steam has a higher temperature than that to which either the air or oil have been previously heated, the same serving to again raise the temperature of the same. It is thus apparent that a gaseous fuel is produced embodying gasified oil, air and steam. This gasifiecl fuel passes into a pipe 48 connected with the Y-shaped coupling 45. The pipe 48 extends forwardly and longitudinally exteriorly of the boiler 10 and is connected at its forward end with a transverse branch pipe 49, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. This branch pipe 49 may be rigidly attached to the forward head of the boiler by clamps 5O or'the like. Connected with the opposite ends of the branch pipe 49 are rearwardly extending superheating fuel supply pipes 51, two being employed in the present illustration, while it is to be understood that any suitable number may be used. These pipes 51 extend rearwardly interiorly of the fines, whereby the gasified fuel or mixture is superheated by the gases or products of combustion passing through the fines.

As more clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, the pipes 51 project rearwardly beyond the rear end of the iiues, and as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, are provided with caps or burners 52, provided in their rear ends with upwardly inclined apertures :33. As more clearly shown in Fig. 6, these burners are preferably arranged in the lower portion of the fire box, and by having the apertures 53 vertically inclined, the gasified fuel or mixture willbe deflected upwardly and rearwardly in the presence of smoke or products of combustion prior to or as the same is entering the rear intake ends of the fines or tubes. The gasified fuel is thus made to move transversely of the travel of the smoke. This gasified fuel or mixture at once ignites upon leaving the burners, and effects a thorough combustion of the particles of carbon con tained within the smoke. V

In the operation of the apparatus, the oil under ninety pounds of pressure supplied thereto through'the pipe 28 is fed upwardly through the pipe 18 into the oil heating shell 19, wherein the same is first heated to substantially 212 F. This heated oil is forced or dropped into the mixing chamber 24 through the passage22, such feeding being regulated by the adjustment of the valve 23. Air at ninety pounds pressure is fed through the pipe 28 into the coil 33 and is heated by the steam within the shell or jacket 32 to approximately 400 F, prior to entering the mixing chamber 24 w ierein the oil is being fed or dropped. This air having a substantially higher temperature than the oil, serves to readily vaporize the same,

whereby the air is carbureted. This carbu reted air passes downwardly through the pipe 26 into the if-shaped coupling 45, and is there thoroughly mixed with the steam from the pipe 42, this steam having a substantially higher temperature than either the air, oil or the carbureted air. This steam serves to further vaporize the oil and effects a highly intimate mixture of the air and oil. It is thus apparent that a gasified fuel or mixture is obtained comprising intimately mixed air, gasified oil, and steam. This gasified fuel or mixture passes forwardly through the pipe 48 into the rearwardly extending fuel supply. pipes 51 pass ing through the fines, whereby the mixture or fuel is superheated prior to its discharge through the apertures 53v of the burners 52. These burners deliver the superheated mixture or fuel in an upward direction at a point near the lower portion of the fire box adjacent the rear intake ends of the flues or tubes, whereby the gasified fuel travels upwardly transversely of the travel of the smoke, in the presenceof the same. The gasified mixture or fuel is ignited in the presence of the smoke or products of combustion and serves to thoroughly burn the smoke or carbon particles contained within the same, whereby the products of combustion finally discharging from the stack of the engine are substantially colorless.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewithshown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a liquid fuel heating shell arranged adjacent the fire box of a boiler to receive heat therefrom, of a liquid fuel holding tank having means of communication with the heating shell to supply the liquid fuel therein, means for introducing pressure into the holding tank to effect the proper feeding of the liquid fuel therefrom, a mixing chamber having c znnmunication with the interior of the liquid fuel heating shell to receive liquid fuel therefrom, an air heating coil having communication with the mixing chamber, means to supply air under pressure into the air heating coil, a steam jacket surrounding the air heating coil, means to supply steam into the steam jacket, a common fuel supply pipe, a conduit connecting the mixing chamber with the common fuel supply pipe, an outlet conduit connected with the steam jacket and leading into the common fuel supply pipe at a point near the discharge end of the first named conduit, and means for introducing fuel discharging from the com mon fuel supply pipe into the fire box of the boiler.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a liquid fuel heating shell arranged adjacent the fire box of a boiler to receive heat therefrom, of a liquid fuel holding tank, a pipe connecting the liquid fuel holding tank and the liquid fuel heating shell, an air pressure holding tank, means of communication between the air pressure holding tank and the liquid fuel holding tank, an air heating coil having means of communication with the air pressure holding tank, a mixing chamber having communication with the air heating coil and the liquid fuel heating shell to receive air and heated liquid fuel therefrom, a steam jacket surrounding the air heating coil, a steam supply pipe discharging into the steam jacket, a steam outlet pipe con nected with the steam jacket, a pipe connected with the mixing chamber, a branched pipe having the steam outlet pipe and the last named pipe connected with its branches, and means connected with the branched pipe for supplying the fuel into the fire box of the boiler.

23. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a liquid fuel heating shell arranged adjacent the fire box of the boiler to receive heat therefrom,'of a fuel holding tank, a pipe connecting the fuel holding tank and the fuel heating shell, an air pressure holding tank, an air pressure supply pipe connected with the air pressure holding tank and with the fuel holding tank, an air heating coil connected with the air pressure supply pipe, a mixing chamber having communication with the air heating coil and the fuel heating shell, a steam jacket surrounding the air heating coil, a steam supply pipe, a pipe connecting the steam supply pipe and the steam jacket, a pressure reducing valveconnected in the last named pipe, a pipe having a Y-connection, a pipe connecting the mixing chambcr with one arm of the Y-connection, a steam discharge pipe connecting the steam jacket and the other arm of the Y-connection and means connected with the pipe having the Y-connection for supplying the fuel into the fire box of the boiler.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. CHARLES A. PHELPS.

lVitnesses D. Gno. McGee, Bonner B. KININGHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

